


Trust Your Instincts

by PolarGrizz47



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha Josh, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Eventual Relationships, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Omega Chris, Possessive Behavior, Scenting, presenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-07-14
Packaged: 2018-11-30 03:33:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11455125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolarGrizz47/pseuds/PolarGrizz47
Summary: Josh was ready to show his friends one hell of a wild night... up until Chris decided that it'd be a wonderful time to present himself as an omega, right on Josh's front doorstep.





	1. Wrench in the Plans

**Author's Note:**

> So, I know the UD fandom is... dead. However, I played the game and got this idea. Will continue if it gets enough traction with the audience (you guys!) If not, then it was good writing practice!

Chris was  _ almost _ completely certain that he was a beta, having missed the deadline for the normal showings of an alpha or an omega. It almost disappointed him that he wasn’t an alpha - like his best friend - but he guessed that being a beta had its benefits.

No overwhelming scents, less sensitivity, no stupid instinctual fights that he’d seen Josh get into during college nights out. It would make his whole life a lot easier if he could just coast as a beta, happily living his life the way he’d grown up with. 

No godforsaken ruts - where alphas had to lock themselves away or risk going mad with lust. And  _ definitely _ no dreaded heats, a whole week of nothing but being a needy puddle. 

Chris was going to have it _easy_ … or, so he thought.

-:-

On his way up to the mountain, he had felt strange. His thoughts kept circling around one another, strange and unusual, frequent and yet so very far away. Blue eyes struggled to keep open and he caught himself nodding off twice, feeling like he just wanted to curl up somewhere warm. That wasn’t a surprise, given the temperature outside.

He sure hoped that Josh’s cabin was still up and running. 

His brief trek up to the lodge was only interrupted by his little game at the shooting range, and Chris found himself smiling, feeling much more like himself in the cold. He sure hoped that he wasn’t coming down with anything - the last thing he’d want to do would be to ruin this week of fun and mayhem with his friends. 

As he sat on the ski car with Sam, Chris found himself staring out the window, feeling fatigued again. He felt himself growing strangely warm and took the time to unzip his jacket. The conversation he had with Sam - about Josh and him meeting thanks to early puberty - was a great distraction from his growing heat.

The cold gush of air that hit them as they left the hot box was amazing, and Chris pushed his face into the wind. He found that his nose wasn’t as stuffy as he thought it would’ve been in the cold, and instead he realized that the scents were strangely heightened. He bristled when Sam touched his arm to urge him along, her touch strange and unwelcome against his skin. He could feel the heat coming off her palm even through his many layers. When she quirked a brow at him, Chris flashed her a sheepish and apologetic smile.

“Guess we go see the party people, huh?” Chris muttered, walking along beside her as they neared the grand cabin.

Her brows pinched with curious concern, and Sam slowly forced herself to nod. “Yeah… I’m sure Josh will be thrilled to have us back. Are you feeling alright, Chris? You look a little pale.” When he didn’t answer her immediately, Sam tried to jostle her elbow into his side, wanting to see him smile. “Not afraid of heights, are you?”

“No,” Chris smirked, returning the elbow blow with a soft one of his own. “‘Course not, just getting hungry.”

“Mhm, scaredy cat,” Sam laughed, walking until Josh happily hurried to greet them.

Chris brightened when he saw his best friend and opened his arms up for a much-needed hug. However, he froze when the wind caused Josh’s scent to smack him in the face. His stomach tightened and Chris was glad that he suddenly had Josh’s body there to lean into, his arms wrapping around his old friend in an awkward hug. He swayed on his feet, feeling almost faint. He knew skipping lunch was a bad idea, but he had to pack somehow.

“Chris, my man,” Josh smirked, clapping Chris on the back and glancing around towards Ashley and a moping Matt. “How was the hike up?”

“Uhm,” Chris shrugged, offering a sheepish smile. “Feels like it gets longer every time,” He managed, still trying to come to terms with Josh’s scent so close. So strong… not necessarily bad, but definitely  _ different _ . Had Josh always smelled like this?

“Yeah, feels the way same to me,” Josh laughed, his arms crossed as he looked down at Sam and Chris. 

“Hah, yeah, right,” Chris fumbled around for his phone, needing a distraction. “You grew up out here… probably feels like it’s shrinking to you,” He grumbled, hardly catching what Josh said in response. He lifted his phone up and glared at the screen when he saw that he had no bars. Great, no service, no web doctor to tell him about his strange symptoms. “When are you going to get some cell towers up here?” Chris sighed, pushing his phone back into his pocket.

Josh nudged his friend as they continued up the slope to the cabin’s doors, “You got a million dollars lying around and I can fix you right up.”

Chris didn’t have the want to reply, staring at his feet as he trudged along behind Josh. Sam bumped his shoulder again and frowned when it roused no response from the other blond. The omega could tell something was bothering Chris, and she assumed that it was the lack of their good friends, the Washington twins.

Matt greeted them when they got near, and Chris sent him a silent smile and a nod while Sam and Ashley started to chat, the beta and the omega always seemed to get along nicely. He forced himself to follow Josh up the old steps to the cabin door, and despite his feverish thoughts, he had enough left in him to worry about Josh.

“Hey… you doin’ alright?” He asked, watching how Josh’s face fell with annoyance. “I just meant - you know - with your sisters?”

“Stop - Chris,” Josh gave an exasperated sigh, “I’m over it. Look, I just… just want us to have a good time. Like we used to… they’d like that.” The alpha turned away to fuss with the lock, shaking his head.

With his eyes wide, Chris nodded, at a loss for words, and feeling almost guilty until the wind caused Josh’s scent to smack him in the face again. He could feel hot, small beads of sweat against his skin, and was glad that Josh’s back was turned. While the alpha inspected the door, Chris leaned against the railing and rubbed his forehead with his arm, grunting as the sleeve soaked up all the sweat. 

When his friend turned back around with a curse, Chris forced himself to stand up tall. “What’s up?”

“Stupid thing is iced over,” Josh grunted, shaking his head. “Damnit…”

“Well…” Chris tried to think of something fast, wanting to be helpful, and definitely wanting to get inside already. His hot flashes and sweating were not boding well in the elements. “What if we found a window? You know… got it open or something…”

“Wait,” Josh turned to look at him with a smirk, “You wanna break in?”

“It’s not,” Chris chuckled out a nervous sort of sound, “Not technically breaking in if you own the place, right?”

“Depends on if I report you or not,” Josh answered calmly, and then punched Chris in the arm when his friend just stood there with a dumb look on his face. “Dude, relax. You’re looking at me like I’d actually do that,” The alpha laughed, urging Chris back down the stairs. “Let's go find our window, Cochise.”

Chris nodded and slowly made his way down the steps, only pausing to send Ashley a nervous smile and a little nod. He didn’t feel like himself and wasn’t about to risk making himself look like a damn fool. She smiled kindly back before looking back up at Sam, who was watching Chris with worry. She always was the mother hen of the group and could definitely tell that something was up.

Josh seemed pleased that his friends were all gathering here and interrupted to nudge Chris on the trail with that awkward sort of smile that warned Chris about the incoming, painful wingman talk he was about to get. “So… you and Ash, huh?” Josh grinned and lifted his brows, “You know, she’s like a sleeper hit, man -”

Chris dropped his head to look down at his shoes, shrugging mutely. He didn’t feel like he was up for any sort of action besides a nice, cool bed and a nap. Hell, he’d take a few zzz’s in a snowdrift if he had to. 

That, and the awkward conversation of Ashely was not putting him at ease. A few weeks ago he’d had a semi-drunken chat with Sam, worrying that maybe his crush with Ashley had… faded. It wasn’t anyone’s fault even, he’d just moved on. He pictured the beta as a good friend, somebody he could lean into - mainly because he thought he was a beta himself.

Now he wasn’t so sure...

His friend sighed and shook his head, putting his hands on Chris’ shoulders. “Hey, man, what’s up?”

“I just… Josh, I just want to get inside,” Chris managed, refusing to lift his head up too much. Josh was starting to smell strangely _welcoming_ and he felt like a moth to a flame. “I’m hungry,” He stressed, stepping away from Josh as he kicked out at the snow with his boot. 

It wasn’t a total lie, but he couldn't’ just go blurting out his distress. Now wasn’t the time. They were supposed to be up here to party, and Chris was hoping that some time inside with his friends there to ground him would help.

“I see,” Josh playfully elbowed him in the side, though he hesitated as he watched Chris. His eyes narrowed with suspicion, but he said nothing.

Instead, he focused on getting the window open, helping pull over their stepping block. The alpha would’ve insisted that he went first, but Chris stubbornly jumped into the building - quite literally. Josh poked his head into the window as he heard a loud thump and then a groan. “You alright, Chris? The last thing I need is you getting a broken arm up here!”

“I’m fine,” Chris grunted, his head swimming and body warming up with another wave of heat. “Perfectly fine,” He muttered under his breath, forcing himself to his feet and hurriedly grabbing onto a nearby tool bench when a wave of sudden dizziness threatened to make him pass out. He had to blink the black dots from his vision, faking a smile for his friend’s sake.

Chris fumbled around for the light switch and jumped when the light bulb practically exploded overhead. “Holy shit,” He sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. He missed the wind chill outside already. “My bad, Josh.”

“Nah, man, wasn’t your fault,” Josh insisted, waving a lighter in front of his face. “Here, for light.” He tossed it down and Chris managed to catch it by some sort of miracle. “Listen… the lock’s frozen, so we’ll just blast it open. I got some… deodorant upstairs. Then light that shit on fire and burn the ice off.”

“Wait, sticks are flammable?” Chris asked, his mind swimming with confusion. 

Josh gave an amused laugh, “No - Chris, c’mon - the spray on kind. Remember how we -”

“Melted the little army dudes,” Chris shot the alpha a smile, both of them chuckling at the memories. 

“Hey, man, I’m sorry but I needed to check up on something before everyone gets here… think you could do this on your own?” Josh asked, looking down at Chris with a quirked brow.

The man managed to move his stiff fingers enough to fire up the lighter, the small flame illuminating him a yellow glow. Josh would’ve mentioned how pale and sweaty his friend looked, but Chris quirked a smile and answered, “I guess… Meet you out front,” The man mumbled, watching as Josh saluted and then vanished from sight. 

Chris was left alone then, feeling unsure and getting more and more exhausted with every step he took. He made it out of the shop room and had to lean on the doorway to focus, noticing how his hands were shaking, making the little fire dance in his palm. When he thought back to the bathroom that usually housed Josh’s things, he groaned. It was upstairs.

He dragged himself down the hallway and only paused to smile at a photo of the Washington family, taken just a few months before the twins’ disappearance. They looked happy, and he hoped that wherever they were now, they were at peace.

Standing there too long was making him more and more tired, his arms nearly falling at his sides and the lighter almost slipping out of his sweaty grip. He tried to slap himself in the face to wake up a bit more, but he couldn’t even gather the strength to properly do it. With a groan, he forced himself forwards, swaying to the side as another bout of dizziness gripped him.

Chris stumbled as he hit a door, and as he pushed it open with a loud, unhappy creaking from the hinges. They hadn’t really been keeping up with the care of the cabin since that night…

He looked forwards and realized that he was near the front door, still frozen shut. Dazed blue eyes could see the blurred edges of Sam and Ashley standing outside, and when a stronger wave of tiredness and sickness washed over him, Chris realized that he needed to let people know. 

He needed help.

“Ash - Sam?” He croaked, voice small and weak. It was almost impossible to move from the doorframe, and he clung to it with one hand. Neither of his friends seemed to notice him, too absorbed in their own conversation. “ _ Hey _ ,” Chris whimpered out, darkness closing around his vision as his stomach rolled again. Hell, he almost felt  _ better _ with Josh around… he really wished that Josh was here… “I don’t… feel good...” The final wave of dizziness swept him under, his body suddenly going slack against his fading will.

His hand slipped off the doorframe and Chris made no attempt to catch himself, hitting the ground with a loud thump, the lighter’s flame extinguished in the fall. 

Sam looked up at the sound, pressing her hands to the glass of the front door as she peered in. At first, she couldn’t see anything, just darkness. It took a moment for her hazel eyes to adjust, and when they did, she cursed out in a panic. “Chris?” She asked, hands jiggling the lock. “Chris! Oh my God, Chris!”

“What, what is it? Let me see - is he okay?!” Ashley urged, pressing closer to Sam as she stuck her face against the glass. There she saw it, Chris’ slumped over form in the eave of a doorway. “Oh my gosh,” She breathed, looking towards Sam for guidance. “Is he -”

“I  _ knew _ I should’ve mentioned it,” Sam hissed under her breath, pounding on the door in hopes of rousing Chris. “He’s been acting strange all night…”

Ashley swallowed and bit her lip, “The door’s still locked… we got to find Josh.”

“Josh!” Sam yelled into the night and the snow, “ _Josh_! Get over here - quick!”

All she heard was her voice echoing back at her until Matt and Emily came rushing up the hill. Matt’s dark eyes were wide with panic, and he looked at each of them carefully, as if searching for wounds. 

“What’s up?” Emily asked, heaving for breath as she stood there, hot puffs of air leaving her mouth in a steamy show. “Are you guys okay?”

“No - No, it’s Chris,” Sam frantically explained, running a hand down her face. “He - He just passed out in there -”

“ _ What _ ?” Matt muttered, looking towards the door. “How’d he get inside?”

“Th-the door’s all iced over - Josh and him went to find an open window or something -” Ashley answered while Sam turned back towards the door, giving it another good pounding to see if Chris would move. He didn’t, and she let out a frustrated growl.

“Great - just fuckin’ perfect!” Emily rushed out, her hands clenching. “Already off to a  _ wonderful _ start in this hellhole.”

“Em, c’mon, this isn’t about you,” Sam pleaded, trying to throw her shoulder into the door. “Josh!” She tried again, listening to her voice echo on the wind. “Oh, where the hell is he?”

Mike rushed from the darkness of the trail with Jess close behind, both staring at the group with wide eyes. “The hell is going on?” He asked, his brown eyes shining with concern. “You’re all screaming bloody murder -”

“Chris - it’s Chris,” Ashley shouted, motioning towards the door. “We can’t get in!”

“What?” Jess cocked her head to the side, sneering once she saw Emily. The two bristled while Mike shoved his way towards the door.

“Let me see,” He mumbled, watching as Sam and Ashley stepped out of the way for him. With a sigh, he pressed his face up to the glass, still breathing heavily from his jog up the hill. Even if he fogged up the glass a little, Mike could see it. Chris’ body highlighted by the moon, and his glasses on the floor by his head. “Oh, fuck,” Mick gasped, reaching towards the door and growling when it was locked. 

Mike had shown as an alpha far earlier than most other kids, and he seemed more attuned to the distress of the omegas and betas around him. He needed to get this door open, and quickly. “The fuck - it’s locked? How did he -”

“It’s iced - just - we gotta get in there,” Sam gasped, her body trembling. Ashley reached out to rub her hands over the omega’s back, hoping to soothe her friend. “I think something’s wrong with him,” She whispered, looking at Mike pleadingly.

“Oh, fuck this,” Mike snarled, implored by the watery eyes and spurred on for fear of a friend. He took a step back and shook his head, “Sorry about your door, Josh,” With that half-hearted apology, the alpha lifted a leg and pushed his weight forwards, kicking in the door with surprising ease. It gave a squeak of protest, the lock snapping under his weight - already brittle with the ice surrounding it. The momentum of it caused him to fall inside the building, but he quickly hopped to his feet as Sam rushed inside towards Chris.

She collapsed to her knees and pulled Chris onto his side, looking at his face worriedly. He had a nasty bump on his forehead, and she gingerly touched it, only gasping as her fingers brushed his heated body. “He’s _burning_ _up_ ,” Sam whispered, glancing up towards Mike with worry. “Help me get him to the couch… oh my God, Chris…”

“No problem,” Mike answered, “You grab his legs.”

While the two picked up Chris from the ground, the others lingered in the doorway looking shocked and confused. Matt closed the door behind him and didn’t even turn to inspect the damage of the break in.

Ashley rushed forwards to grab her friend’s glasses and followed them into the living room, watching as they set Chris onto the couch. Sam went to work stripping him out of his winter gear, her eyes focused and expression steely now that she wasn’t locked outside while her friend just laid there. 

“Chris,” She whispered, brushing her fingers over his sweaty brow. “Ashley, can you go grab me a cool hand cloth? Just run it under cold water,” She informed, looking up at the beta with a pinched brow. 

“Yeah, no problem,” Ashley mumbled, setting his glasses onto the nearby coffee table before she made for the kitchen.

Mike stood by awkwardly, feeling like he was stuck in some sort of horror movie. “Oh man,” He swallowed. “Is Chris gonna be okay?”

“I… I think so,” Sam offered him a sad smile, “I think I know what’s going on… and this is certainly not the place to be doing it.”

“Oh no,” Mike took a worried step back, “Is that why he… he  _ smells _ ?” The alpha had noticed it as soon as he kicked open the door, a sweet, heady scent hanging in the air. Strange, but almost familiar.

“I think so… he needs space, okay?” Sam whispered, crouching on the floor by Chris’ head so she could watch his breathing. “Go tell the other’s to stay away.”

“Got it,” Mike nodded, hurrying out of the room. He paused as he hit the entryway to the living room, turning back to look at Sam. “Keep us updated, okay?”

“Okay,” She tried to smile, but it fell short.

Ashley and Sam stayed in the living room to watch over Chris, while some of the other’s piled into the kitchen to murmur amongst themselves, feeling strange and tense. 

When Josh pushed open the door to his cabin, he paused to inspect the strange twist in the wood. “Hey guys,” He started, looking at the damage to the metal locking mechanism. It certainly didn’t look burned, as he’d expected. “What happened to the door?” 

He got no answer, and slowly poked his way into the living room, pausing as he saw Chris sprawled out on the couch with Sam by his side and a cloth over his forehead. “Whoa, what happened?!” The alpha hissed, rushing forwards with big eyes.

“Chris just… he just fell,” Sam whispered, watching how Josh stopped dead in his tracks as soon as the strong scent hit his face. “Hasn’t woken up yet, hit his head pretty badly… I think… Josh, I think Chris is  _ presenting _ .” 

“Oh, shit,” Josh whispered, staring at his best friend, and long lasting crush, “He’s an omega.”

There was no question to his tone, only a sure statement.

He forced himself to walk closer, sitting on the coffee table as he stared out at his friend, who was looking pale and miserable. Sam had bundled a light blanket around Chris in hopes of soothing some of the early nesting instincts, knowing that he’d wake up scared and dazed. She’d gone through the same thing about three years ago, and since Chris was a really late bloomer, she expected that his reveal would be even rougher.

Josh picked up the glasses and looked into the lenses with a shake of his head, chin touching his chest as he closed his eyes.

_Damn i_ t… this was not how the night was supposed to go. 


	2. Tearing Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group fights, and Josh starts to regret his earlier plans for his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, I wrote this and figured it'd make a good second chapter. Not super long, but it doesn't need to be. Enjoy!

Emily’s nose flared as she paced around the kitchen, her entire body tense with unease. Matt sat at the counter, perched on a stool as he fiddled with the sleeves of his jacket, his eyes downcast. 

Mike was leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed with an ankle hooked over the other one. He worried his lower lip between his teeth as he watched Josh sit with Chris in the living room. Their blond friend still hadn’t stirred, and Ashley spent her time running back and forth from the kitchen to wet the towel they were using to beat the heat Chris gave off. He felt a rumble rattle from his chest, and Jess looked up at him with her brows drawn up in sympathy.

“Mike,” She started, getting to her feet as she left her seat by Matt, breaking the tense silence. “Is he going to be alright?”

“Hah,” Emily huffed, her eyes rolling. “Like you care.”

Jess wheeled around with her teeth bared in a snarl, brows narrowing as she returned, “What did you say?” For an omega, she was often quite a show-off and sometimes fierce. Her untamed attitude had drawn Mike towards her in the first place but now wasn’t the time to start spitting venom.

The other woman smiled, flashing her teeth in a mock growl. She was an alpha and had no qualms about dominating through put downs and quick witted remarks. “What are you, deaf?”

“The hell is your problem, Emily?! What, are you starting fires because you’re jealous -”

“Jealous? Of what - that?” She pointed a finely painted nail towards Mike, who was watching them with something akin to disappointment in his eyes. “Hell no, I dodged a bullet. And now you’re top cow -”

“Em,” Matt groaned, putting his head in his hands. “Em, stop. C’mon, is it not bad enough that Chris -”

“That Chris ruined the whole damn evening?!” Emily snarled, throwing her hands up into the air with exasperation.

Mike stood up from the entryway, lips twisting with disgust, “That’s not fair - it’s not his fault. You’re probably under a lot of stress - I know he smells -”

“I have Matt now!” Emily stomped her foot and looked towards her boyfriend who only offered a half-hearted smile in response.

“Jesus,” Mike dragged a hand down his face, “Em, I’m not suggesting anything! I’m just saying an omega smells different than a beta -”

“Oh, you’d know,” Em hissed, glaring towards Jessica again.

“You want to smell an omega too, bitch? I’ll fucking go, right now,” Jess snarled, stepping towards the alpha with her nostrils flaring. Matt hurried to get to his feet and Mike took a preventative step forwards but everyone froze as Josh stormed towards the kitchen.

“STOP IT!” He shouted with his hands clenched tightly at his sides. He glared at each and every one of them, his shoulders tense and breathing choppy. “God, you guys just never shut the fuck up, do you?” The alpha accused, shaking his head. “This is not what I wanted - this is not what  _ Chris _ needs right now.”

Mike hung his head guiltily and Jess stepped away from Emily, shifting nervously from side to side. Matt slowly sat back down with a small murmur of an apology fading on his lips. Emily stood stock still, trembling all over with pent-up emotions.

“What if he wakes up to you guys screaming at each other?” Josh growled, reaching up to tug the knit beanie off his head. It wasn’t hot, not necessarily, but the rage and the strange urges he was developing with Chris so near was making his skin flush. “Huh? You think he’s going to like that? You think he’s doing this for attention?” He glared towards Emily, who held his gaze until Josh spat, “You should be  _ ashamed _ of yourself.”

She looked at the ground sharply while Josh tossed his hat angrily onto the counter. “You guys need to chill out, now. This is not how I wanted this week to go, and I know it’s not exactly to plan with Chris - but you guys can at least try to act civil for once in your _goddamned_ _lives_?”

“Sorry, Josh,” Mike stepped up, opening his arm so Jess could press against his side. “Maybe we should get some distance…” He glanced towards Emily who rolled her eyes at the ground, still hanging her head.

Josh took a deep breath and held it, before slowly exhaling. But before he could agree with Mike, Emily’s head suddenly jerked up and she growled. 

“Oh my god, Matt - where’s my bag?” Emily asked, staring at the front door. 

“What?” Matt grumbled, looking at her with confusion. Josh and the others stood still, and it was painfully obvious that Josh was still shivering with barely restrained anger.

“My bag - with the little pink pattern?” She put a hand on her hip and groaned, stomping off towards the door. “I got it in Rodeo - Matt, don’t you remember? Or were you too busy drooling all over the girl at the counter?”

“She was asking about my letter jacket -” He sputtered, hurrying to his feet to follow her. 

“Oh, as if,” The alpha grumbled, looking around for her rather expensive luggage. “I don’t even care,” She turned around to look at Matt, her hands still on her hips. “I need my bag, Matt. Now.”

“Okay, alright,” He held up a hand in mock defense as he approached closer.

With another huff, she ran her tongue over the edges of her teeth and yanked open the door, “I bet it's still down by the cable car station.”

“Ugh,” The beta groaned, tugging his jacket around himself. “Once we’re done, can we get warm?”

“Oh,” Emily shot him a smile, reaching out and pulling him closer, “We’re going to get very warm,” She purred before urging them outside, the door slamming behind them.

Josh let out a loud, relieved sigh. “Are you guys done?” He grumbled, looking towards Mike and Jess who both nodded apologetically. “Good… I got to get a fire started,” The alpha rubbed at his brow before stalking out of the kitchen, leaving a hanging tension in the air.

He looked towards Chris as he entered the living room, and watched as Sam lifted the now warm rag from his forehead, muttering under her breath. 

“He doing any better?” The alpha called out before crouching down near the fireplace, staring at the fake logs and trying to remember how he used to work this thing. He’d been so obsessed with his surprises for the others that he almost forgot how to do the important things. 

“Uhm… not much has changed, but I think his fever is almost close to breaking,” Sam said, flashing him a nervous smile. “We’ll need more blankets and something to eat, especially once he wakes up…”

Josh tried to get the fire to flicker on, but the electrical spark didn’t seem to be working. He tried it a few more times with mounting distress until he remembered that he’d cut the power to the main lodge to direct it to the shed for his little 'experiment'…  _ Fuck _ , Josh thought, wanting to rip his own hair out.

“What’s wrong?” The omega asked, looking up from Chris when she felt the distinct spike of anger rise from Josh. It was almost malleable in the room, and even Ashley kept her distance.

He licked his lower lip and blew out a nervous laugh, rising back to his feet. “Fucking electricity is down… I’ll have to go reset the generator,” Josh grumbled, zipping up his puffer vest. “You guys stay here. Maybe you can find something good to eat.”

He could see the confusion in Sam’s eyes, and he didn’t have the heart to tell her that he hadn’t done any proper shopping. Dr. Hill was right - he was already fucking everything up…

Josh looked towards Jess and Mike as he passed the kitchen, trying not to sound too bossy as he asked, “Could you guys go find some blankets in one of the spare rooms? Something for Chris to drink? Maybe uh - shit, I don’t know what omegas even like -”

“I got it,” Jess smiled, “My mother makes me something during my cycle, I’ll see if I can make it for Chris too. As long as you have honey, we should be good.”

He felt a pang of relief and nodded in thanks before he pulled open the door and stepped out into the bitter cold, unaware of something watching him from the shadow of the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked! Poor Chris, he'll have more action soon, promise!


	3. Got You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh goes to Chris. There's no other way around it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tossed and turned with this chapter before puking this up for you guys like a furball.

Chris’ eyes fluttered as the door slammed closed for the second time that night, a strange moan crawling up his throat. He felt terrible, much too hot and sticky, but he noticed that he was shivering despite his fever. The man was glad that it was dark in the room as it was easily allowing his watery eyes adjust to the environment. Chris pushed himself up a bit onto his elbows and groaned, his head throbbing with pain.

“Chris - Chris, easy,” A voice soothed by his side, quiet and gentle. He startled a bit, shifting about as he tried to kick the blankets off his body. “Hey, just stay still.”

“Don’t wanna,” He croaked, squinting as he managed to turn his head to the side. It took him an embarrassingly long time to recognize Sam though the cloud in his mind, and Chris blamed his lack of glasses. “Sam? Wh… What happened?”

The girl sat on the coffee table and kept her hands gingerly on his shoulders. She made a face, one that told Chris something was wrong. “Well… Chris, honey -”

Pet names. Chris knew he was in some deep shit now.

“How are you feeling?” Sam instead asked softly, her hands touching something on his face, and Chris jumped a bit as he realized that he had a wet rag on his forehead. Details were clicking into place, and lingering for a few moments before they kept slipped away from Chris’ awareness.

He wet his lips, looking at her with another shift of unease. He felt distinctly restless despite his discomfort like he was supposed to  _ find _ something of great importance instead of just lay around and whine. “I… I’m hot,” Chris managed, pupils blown wide in the darkness of the lodge. “Feel funny, like I’m… missin’ somethin’.”

“You’re going to be okay, Chris? Don’t fight it,” She suggested, looking up as Mike stood there in the doorway, his frame wrought with tension. For a second they stared at each other, and Mike’s mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Sam realized that he was scenting the air, and shook her head sternly at him. 

Jess appeared beside him with a few measured steps, wrapping her arms around his middle and urging him back into the kitchen. “C’mon, baby,” She whispered, knowing that Mike had to be at war with himself. There was an omega right in front of him, clearly suffering from an ailment, but he couldn’t do anything to help. Well, he could try, but he had a feeling he’d freak Chris out even more. 

Those blue eyes slipped closed again and Chris groaned, shifting onto his side. His stomach felt tense, not nauseous, but definitely not normal either. He tightened the muscles in his abdomen, gingerly touching at his navel. It ached, and he squirmed at the sensation. 

“Are you going to puke?” Sam asked, moving her legs away but still remaining close. She was too kind, Chris thought offhandedly, staring at the wooden floor as he counted the knots that danced before his vision.

His gut clenched at the suggestion and Chris felt tears well up behind his eyelids, a pang of panic sinking into his mind slowly. “I don’t  _ know _ ,” He slurred, pulling his legs up to his chest as he laid there miserably on his side. The scents around him were stronger, weirdly so, and Chris wanted to hide away from them. The blanket smelled dusty and he fought back the urge to sneeze. His arms were shaking as he wrapped them around his middle, fingertips pressing into his heated, sweaty skin. It was all too much, overstimulating him in the simplest of ways. 

Something was itching under his skin, like a need he couldn’t quite place. His navel ached and he moaned quietly, cheeks going red with embarrassment as he felt hot tears escape his closed eyes. Chris suddenly felt very scared, and he very much wanted to go home now.

He’d never felt like this before, even when he and Josh had come down with the flu together. 

_ Josh _ . 

He opened his eyes and ignored the way his voice cracked as he croaked, “I want Josh.” Chris wanted his best friend, missed his scent, his touch, his voice. His body seemed to agree with him, the warmth reaching a crescendo inside of him, a need buzzing in his body like fire in his veins. 

-:-

“Fucking perfect,” Josh hissed as he yanked the wires from the electrical box, ignoring the way his fingertips tingled as he did so. The red and black alligator clamps hissed for a fraction of a second before there was a loud groan, the shed’s overhead light dimming greatly. Hopefully, the lodge’s generator would kick on with the surge of energy. 

He turned to look at his set up, staring at the saw and the dummy body hanging chained against the plywood. He growled, filled with anger and disappointment as he stalked over to his faux body. He tugged the chains off the cold, rubber wrists and watched it flop to the ground, the pig guts sloshing about inside of it. 

Josh narrowed his dark eyes as he stared down at it, hands trembling at his sides. He could hear faint piano music suddenly chiming in his head, and with a knowing groan, Josh stumbled back against the plywood to hold himself up.

“So… are you done with your little fantasy  _ game _ , then?” A familiar voice asked, and Josh looked up wearily to see Dr. Hill standing by the saw. The man ran his hand across the top of the blade before he flicked it, listening to the metallic ring echo into the empty spaces of the shed. “I can’t say I’m disappointed, Joshua… Big kids don’t play with toys.”

He ran a hand down his face, blinking until Dr. Hill’s smiled thinned into understanding.

“I believe our time has to be cut short today, Josh. Dreadfully sorry about that,” With that, the older man obscured from view entirely, the final echoes of the metal dancing on the air. Josh forced himself to breathe, shaking as he pushed off his support. Now was not the time to curl up and gather his thoughts. He had to move.

Josh knew that he had to get rid of this evidence, and quickly. He wanted to return to Chris’ side as soon as possible, his body seemed to agree, naturally being drawn toward the omega. His best friend was probably going to be a mess, but the alpha inside of him implored his hand, not to mention how the long-festering crush aided to urge him along.

He felt guilty in a sense, using Chris’ upcoming heat to his advantage and to help bolster his courage, but Josh had never considered himself a man resistant to temptation.

Growling, he grabbed onto the edges of his fake body’s boots and tugged, pulling it out into the snow. The guts weighed the dummy down, and Josh grunted as he dragged it over to the edge of the trees. He stood there for a second before snarling and kicking at it when is anger boiled over, listening to the innards squelch about inside. The seam of the belly was now bleeding red from the abuse, fluid leaking from the thin slit of latex where the saw would’ve cut it in half. Josh stared down at it and chuckled, his hands clenched into fists. It took a great effort to turn away and shake his head, breathing in deeply, and then exhaling slowly. He continued having to force himself to relax from his ‘catharsis.’

Good, good. He was almost feeling a bit better now. 

His doctor’s had always said that it was reasonable to _ let it all out _ .

The wind whipped about in his face and Josh remembered the importance of the situation at hand. With long, loping strides he hurried back through the worn trail, grumbling under his breath as he stomped up the stairs and swung the door open. If he’d accidentally ruined the power with his little scheming, Josh was pretty sure that he’d blow a gasket.

His hand smacked against the wall and he flicked the light switch up, chest warming with relief when the overhead lights flickered on, glowing soft and gentle. Offhandedly, Josh hoped it’d be easy on Chris’ eyes.

“The powers on?” Jess asked, looking up at the lights and smiling. “Oh, finally,” She sighed thankfully, going through the empty cupboards until she found enough things to mix something together. She was too nervous to mention the lack of food. 

“You’re the man,” Mike congratulated as Josh walked into the home deeper, pausing as he got a few feet away from the door. Chris smelled stronger now, sweeter too. Like honey on a hot day or caramelizing sugar. It made Josh’s chest rumble with a protective purr, and Mike kept his distance in the kitchen, avoiding eye contact. 

Josh rounded his way into the big room and had to hold back the audible groan that bubbled in his chest. He felt his dick twitch in his jeans and forced himself to fight it down with guilty thoughts about Chris. He had to make sure the omega was okay first, then worry about his ‘little friend.’

_Fucking_ _pheromones_.

He could see that Chris was awake now, curled up on the couch with discomfort and unease, his arms wrapped around himself protectively. Sam was trying to calm him down, tell him that it was going to be okay, but Josh could tell that she wasn’t the one for the job. Chris needed an  _ alpha _ , and damn it, he was going to help.

As he stepped closer, Chris' head snapped towards his direction, blue eyes moist with tears and cheeks pink with his raising heat. Josh shivered all over at the sight, knowing that Chris had him now. Josh was as good as caught in his gaze. 

“Hey there, Cochise,” Josh whispered, aiming for something subtle and friendly while they were around their friends. Chris just whined, sounding strained and upset, and Josh took a few more steps forwards.

Sam was watching him with a cutting, judging gaze. Like she knew what he was planning all along. While she didn’t agree to this, she also knew that Chris was eventually going to need an alpha. And she didn’t think that Emily or Mike would make good candidates for the job that was going to have to get done one way or another. Josh, who’d known Chris for almost thirteen years, was their lucky winner. 

She would much rather drag Chris off this frozen mountain, but she doubted that he’d handle that well. He needed rest and a gentle hand, information to keep the fear at bay, and plenty of water to compensate for all that he was losing via sweat. It was going to be one hell of a weekend getaway, that’s for sure.

The female omega slowly slipped away from Chris’ side as Josh drew nearer, not knowing how either of them would react. Josh looked tense like he’d snap and lash out at anything that dared to interrupt. She didn’t want to risk it, and she knew that Josh could never intentionally hurt Chris. Not like this. The instinct brought on by a cycle was too much for younger alphas to comprehend anything outside of their desire to take care of the omega.

Josh dropped to his knees, growled, and put a shaking arm around Chris’ shoulders, pulling him closer. The blond lifted his head up and planted his nose into the crook of Josh’s neck, moaning out thankfully as the clenching in his stomach lifted some. The alpha smelled wonderful, like a cure to his sickness, and Chris sank his fingers deeply into Josh’s clothes, tugging him closer.

“Don’t worry,” Josh breathed, putting one arm on the couch and keeping the other wrapped tight around Chris, “I got you. Trust me, Chris.”

Chris breathed in deep, whimpered, and nodded. Another tear rolled down his cheek and Chris let it sink into the chill of Josh’s clothes, smelling winter on his skin and another, stronger scent. Like rain after a storm or pine cones in August. It was distinctly Josh, and Chris gulped it in hungrily.

He hardly even noticed when Josh wormed his way onto the couch, stretching his legs out and letting Chris curl into his side. The alpha held him there, gently petting at the back of his head as his deep, hot breath gushed over Chris’ right ear and tingled over the side of his throat. “See? I got you, you’re okay with me.” Josh whispered, pressing a kiss to Chris’ brow when the omega sniffled and nodded.

Sam stood by Ashley near the entranceway, their arms crossed and expressions pulled with worry. “This is bad, huh?” The beta asked, looking at Sam for guidance.

“It’s not bad, it’s natural. I just… I just don’t like it,” She whispered, “It’s risky enough being his first heat, but out here? With all of us stuck in the lodge? I think it’s going to be too much for him.”

“We could move them upstairs,” Jess piped up from the kitchen where she was stirring a small pan of water and other ingredients under a low flame. “Put them in Josh’s room, close the door, and help them when needed.”

Mike nodded in agreement from where he stood right behind Jessica, his eyes wide and nose buried into her blond pigtails, hands glued to her hips to keep himself grounded. Sam felt bad for him, knowing that it all had to be so much worse for his alpha instincts to handle.

“We could try that,” Ashley muttered, glancing at the dusty staircase and wondering how the rooms looked like. “Give them some alone time and - well…  _ you know _ ,” She gestured with her hand and Sam clenched her teeth together. 

Oh, yes, she knew. She was just worried about Chris. And frankly, she was worried about Josh as well. He’d been under a lot of stress lately, and she didn’t think that he knew how to handle an omega in heat. It wasn’t ideal, no, but it was the best they had.

Sam looked back towards Chris and Josh, noting that the omega had indeed calmed a bit. His shaking and whimpering had died down as he laid there on top of Josh, but his face was still hidden into the alpha’s neck and legs curled up to his chest. Josh had planted one boot on the ground to keep from slipping off the couch and he had both his hands petting across Chris’ body to chase away the chills that still haunted the other's pale skin. 

He rumbled lowly with displeasure as he caught the others staring, and quickly kissed Chris’ hairline again when the omega chirped and whimpered, sounding so unsure. “You’re okay, I’m gonna take care of you,” Josh promised, his words even and steady despite the way his body was tingling with need.  

-:-

While the occupants of the cabin buzzed about in distress, there was rattling in the bushes outside the shed. A low, wet gurgle came from the trees as a large, pale hand reached out and grabbed at the fake body. Its nails were jagged, broken off and rotted with yellow, but they sank effortlessly into the rubber, and the dummy was pulled into the woods with only a small smear of leaking blood and a crunching of underbrush to accompany it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the tension rises.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment if you liked!! <3   
> Thank you for reading.


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